Liverpool MP writes to minister over BBC Kelvin MacKenzie ‘error’ | UK News

A Liverpool MP has urged the culture secretary to speak to the about its decision to interview Kelvin MacKenzie over the resignation of director general Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness.

Labour’s Ian Byrne called the decision to include Mr MacKenzie “a grave error of judgement” and an “insult” to the survivors of the Hillsborough disaster in an official letter to Lisa Nandy

Mr MacKenzie was editor of the Sun newspaper in 1989 when it ran its notorious ‘The Truth’ headline, falsely accusing fans of causing the stadium crush which killed 97 people.

The has said he was interviewed as part of a news package which “sought a range of views from people across the media industry”.

Byrne, who represents West Derby, said he was writing the letter to express his “profound concern”.

He told Nandy that a week after the second reading of the ‘Hillsborough Law’, which would impose a duty of candour on public officials, the appearance of Mr MacKenzie was considered a “backward step”.

“That appalling headline, filled with lies and smears against Liverpool supporters, caused untold pain and trauma to the families of the 97 victims, survivors, and the wider Liverpool community,” he wrote.

“Its legacy of hurt and mistrust continues to this day.”

He suggested that the ‘s decision to invite Mr MacKenzie to contribute to a discussion on ethics and journalistic integrity was “beyond comprehension”.

“It represents a grave error of judgement and an insult to all those who fought tirelessly for truth and justice in the face of decades of institutional failure and media malpractice,” he said.

“I would therefore urge you, as Secretary of State, to raise this matter directly with the ‘s director general and board.”

On Tuesday the reported that Liverpool FC officials were “furious” at the decision and had made their feelings known to Breakfast, which ran clips of the interview on Monday morning, and News.

Hillsborough survivor Peter Scarfe, chairman of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance, said the inclusion of Mr MacKenzie “was an absolute insult”.

Mr MacKenzie apologised in 2012 for the ‘The Truth’ headline, but the newspaper is still boycotted by many in Merseyside.

He claimed he had been “completely duped” over the facts about the Hillsborough disaster.

A fresh set of inquests in 2016 and 2021 concluded that the 97 victims of the disaster were unlawfully killed and fans did not cause the deadly crush in the Leppings Lane end.

The 79-year-old former editor was interviewed over video call on Sunday evening after the resignations of Mr Davie and Ms Turness.